Beyond the Mirrors
by 147k
Summary: Six months has passed since saving London, and now Hershel Layton can rest now. But a mirror has sent Luke and the professor to another world, opposite from their own. And the professor meet his counterpart once again after ten years...


"Where... where am I...?"

He kept walking on the dark spacious room that seems endless on how far you go. The top-hatted gentleman was surrounded in darkness, with only him and no one else in present. But a mirror stood in front of him, and there he saw a reflection of himself; an archeology professor at Gressenheller University and a renowned puzzle master that has solved numerous mysteries that even professional detectives aren't able to solve.

He lifted his hand and slowly touched the mirror with his palm.

He closed his eyes and smiled. Seeing himself had realized that he now have a good and a content life. Though he had lost his lover in an unfortunate explosion, he had met her one more time. He was satisfied, because his beloved lover could finally rest in peace... there is nothing more to worry about...

But his mirrored self had interrupted his thoughts.

"It's opening again, _dearest me..._"

In surprise, he open his eyes from his comforting thoughts and saw that his reflection on the mirror has changed his appearance; A crimson vest with a white cravat replaced the orange shirt, white silky gloves was worn, and a monocle was placed on the right eye. His own reflection was smirking in amusement and it's eyes were cold, while the man himself was shivering and his eyes were filled with confusion and possibly fear.

"Y-You... It's you... Why are you here...!"

"I can't wait for us to meet again, and have another splendid cup of tea with you..." The hands with the white gloves had penetrated through the mirror, and grabbed the gentleman's arm, "...but I'm not going to have it in your place, I'm afraid."

"W-What!"

He pulled the gentleman's arm towards the mirror. It's hand was firm, and he was dragging with so much force that he can't escape from his grasp.

"Oh, don't be afraid, I am yourself after all..."

* * *

**Chapter 1: World of Opposites  
**

"Professah! Wake up! Profeeessaaaahhh!"

Luke has been trying to wake his mentor since the last five minutes, "You're going to be late, professah!"

The boy's constant shouting had suddenly awoken the frightful professor. He was sweating like there had been a fire, yet his body all over was cold as ice," L-Luke... Argh... it's you... Oh thank goodness..." A headache slowly emerged. The professor held his hand in his forehead, it was cold. He didn't got a fever, but his head was spinning uncontrollably.

"Hey, professor... are you alright...?"

"O-Oh, I'm alright Luke... thank you for your concern..."

The little apprentice looked wonderingly to the professor, "Did you have a bad dream, professor? You're sweating buckets!"

"Y-Yes... I had a dream, an ominous one..."

"What is it about?"

"W-Well... I don't think I should..." The professor turned his head away. The image of 'himself' in the mirror made him shiver through his spine, as if he ever seen him before. But of course, he won't let his young apprentice worry about his own personal problems, "It's... a long story... but don't let it bother you, my boy. It has nothing to do with you."

"Okay, but promise you cheer up, professor! I was able to visit you and stay here for a week until I go home again, so I want to spend the day with you and Flora and the others for the whole week!"

His innocent yet childish tone brought a smile to the professor's face, "Yes, of course."

Luke happily went out of the bedroom. While the professor changed his clothes, he kept remembering the 'ominous' dream, "He's back isn't he... and it seems that _I_ will be going to his place instead of him going here, but... did he actually appeared and announced it in my dream...?"

_"Flora! Calm down!"_

_"But I saw it! I really saw it, Luke!"_

"...? What is going on there?" After finally placing his famous top hat, he walked towards where the shouting came from, he saw a terrified Flora on the floor and a concerned Luke standing behind her, "Oh dear, what is this all about?"

"Professah! Flora has been saying that she saw a city in the mirror, but I tried to convince her that there aren't!"

"But I really saw it! I saw a city that looked a lot like the one Clive made!"

City- the one word that had made the professor flinch, "A c-city... in the mirror... Did you... did you see people in the mirror, Flora? Please answer me truthfully!"

"P-Professah...?" Muttered Luke in surprise, to see the professor eager to hear a ridiculous story.

"I was finding my comb in the living room, and I saw something flash in the mirror," She turned to the plain mirror that was placed in the living room, "I... thought it was my own imagination, but it was flickering! I got really scared, but I kept watching the mirror... and slowly appearing, I saw buildings! And it looked like the same one that Clive had made from that day! It's scaring me, professor!"

He lowered his hat, covering his eyes, "I... can't believe it..."

"You're actually believing it, professah?"

"...It really is opening again..."

"Huh?"

"O-Oh, it's nothing..."

Not trying to to look worried in front of the two, he put on a fake smile to try to comfort them, "Don't worry about a thing, I'm sure it will not happen again... but if it did, please don't hesitate to tell me, Flora."

"Okay, professor..."

"Why don't we go for a walk? I could use some fresh air from stuffing myself at the office."

"Alright!" He happily cheered for his long waited wish to spend his time with the professor, but the professor himself was still in distress.

Because he cannot escape the truth.

The two went out of their flat. The bright sun greeted warmly to their faces, and they continued walking to the streets of London.

"Wow! I never seen this building before!"

There are a few new buildings new to the apprentice, but London haven't changed it's bustling people and the busy atmosphere, "It has been half a year since I left, but I still think of London as my home, instead of that city I moved in ..."

Concerned, the professor asked, "You're not content in your new home?"

"No... I like Misthallery and London more than that dreadful place. Do you know that there's a lot of bullies at my new school? They've kept teasing me because I'm the new kid..."

"Oh... is that so..."

Pity came to the professor, he hasn't felt what it will feel like to be bullied. His high school, Saint Burns High School, have always treated him warmly when he entered the school. But the times have changed, "At the least you could enjoy a part of your summer here at London, Luke my boy. But do try to adapt to your new home, you will feel more at ease from all your school troubles."

"I guess you're right..."

The professor smiled in his understanding. As they were walking, a shop came into interest to Luke.

"Hey, it's that place where they sell mirrors, professor. I think it's name is French... Well, I don't know, I never really bother to look at it closely. Oh! It's closed down!"

"I-It's closed?"

The professor quickly turned to look. It has been closed down because not many customers has been buying it's products, "It really is closed down... but still..."

"What was that, professah?"

"N-Nothing, why don't we got over to this direction?" Though he feels that his mentor is hiding something, he shrugged it off and followed the professor.

The sky is slowly covered by the vast gray clouds, the sounds of thunder rumbling could be heard nearby, "It looks like it's gonna rain, professah! And I think it will be a very vicious storm soon..."

"We need to get back to the flat, I'm afraid."

Luke pouted in disappointment, his plan to spend the day with his mentor had failed. He stared to the gloomy sky and wined his heart out to it, "No fair! I only had a few minutes to spend walking with the professah! Why would the rain come now...?"

"There is no point in blaming the sky Luke. Come, we must go before the rain start."

The two hurry to their flats, but oddly, not a drop of rain had touched the ground. A sudden mist came through the street, making it hard to see where they are going, "Ugh, this mist is really thick! It's hard to see our way from here, professah. What should we do?"

"Hmm... this mist is too thick than usual, and it appeared out of nowhere... Ah! Don't tell me...!"

"Professah?"

"Luke! We need to stay out of any mirrors that come close to us, understand?" The professor said in a low voice.

"W-Why?" The professor didn't answer, he kept walking in a fast pace while being cautious of his surroundings. Luke with no other choice followed him, not sure why his mentor had suddenly become alarmed, but his curiosity was still unsatisfied, "Can't you tell me what's going on, professah? You've been acting weird ever since Flora told you that ridiculous story! Are you actually believing it?"

"...Believe me, my boy, what Flora said is true..."

"W-What!"

Not knowing where their current location because of the thick mist, they have stumbled into the same closed-down mirror store.

"We're right back where we started, professah..."

A flash of light flickered in the mirrors.

"It's starting again...! Quick, Luke! We need to find shelter-"

A strong gust of wind and heavy rain stopped the professor's sentence from continuing. The wind was strong until it even sways the trees to the wind's direction. The wind shook and broke the glass window to pieces that was keeping the mirrors inside the store, "Luke! Are you alright?"

Holding his hat from being blown by the wind, he was still responsive, "The wind is strong! And the glass window is broken!"

The lights grew brighter, and an image of a city emerged right before the two's eyes.

"A..."

"...City!"

With a blinding light it shone through Luke and the professor. Instinctively, the protective gentleman grabbed Luke and covered him.

"Hang on, Luke!"

Luke could see himself and the professor's body slowly disappearing, and he began to worry. But the professor? He already knew it was no use to run away.

In a blink of an eye they vanished.

Into another world.

* * *

_"The wind was blowing very hard, I must agree. It was indeed a huge storm."_

_"It happened in here too, is it because of that explosion...?"_

_"Whatever it is... I didn't expect this to happen, not in my wildest imagination."_

_"Hm, so do I."_

**~O~O~**

"Professah! Wake up! Don't fall asleep again!"

Groaning_, _the unconscious professor woke up and turned to Luke, who was worried sick of his mentor, "A-Am I on the floor? Oh dear me, I need to stand up..." He did so and straightened himself. The ground was wet, possibly from the rain that happened earlier.

"Where is this place, professah? It looks a bit familiar like London, but I can feel we're not at London..."

"Not exactly, but-"

"What are you two doing moping around in front of my store, eh!"

The shout intimidated the both. It came from an elderly man who was wearing a flashy business suit with hair that could be glistening brightly because of gel, "Get of from my store, peasants! Do you know you're standing in front of the famous Miroir Department Store!"

"D-Department store? But isn't it a small shop?"

"Small? Look at it!"

"This might get weird but he's right, professah. Look!" He turned towards a side a large, first-class building with a large and noticeable 'Miroir' at the top of the entrance. It was shocking, a few minutes they were in front of an old, worn-out shop and then to look again to see beautiful antiques and mirrors displayed with such care that a scratch on it will cost a fortune, "I'm very sorry, sir... forgive me."

"Wait, why do we need to apologize! We weren't lying in front of the entrance! We were here in front of the display case!" Luke objected.

"But it's still a part of my department store! If people watches you doing shady things here my business would go down because of you two!"

"What are you saying!"

"Luke, it's alright," The angry business man is still fuming, and the professor apologize one more time, "I'm very sorry, sir. We shall be leaving at once."

"Hmph! Finally, now I can open the store without any of you around... Wait, have I seen you people before?"

The both glanced at him in confusion, very sure they have never met the man before but now, "A black top hat, a very long one. But your clothes look different... And that boy with the blue cap... D-Don't tell me you're..." He paused but managed to speak again, "Nonsense! Y-You cannot be possibly him! I mean, you don't have a monocle in your eye! And that boy always wear in black and not baby blue! Impersonators, ha! Trying to look just like him at the higher-ups to scare me! Hahahaha..."

He finally walked away with laughter, but a hint of fear could be heard.

"What was all that about? And did he just say that my clothes are baby blue? It's normal blue!"

"A monocle... I should've known..."

"Monocle?"

"I think it's time... That I tell the whole truth to you, my boy..."

"So you do know all about this..." People were suddenly coming to the supposed famous Miroir Department Store, and it was packed with people in a few seconds, "but can we talk about it somewhere else, professah? This place is getting crowded!"

"Yes, that is the best option."

The two walked away in such a tight space that they could be trampled if one should stop. But they succeed in getting out there unharmed.

"Let's talk while we walk, it will save more time." Luke agreed and stayed quiet, to hear all what the professor words that will come out from his mouth."

"We are, how you say it, in a different world."

"A different world?"

"Specifically, a world of our opposites..."

They reach an underground train and thought it will be more useful riding on one, just like what they did in Clive's case, "We're not at the London we know, Luke. We're in another London. A different one."

"W-What! Can't this place be the same one Clive made? I mean... This can't be really a..."

"Not possible, the government would destroy it or keep this place shut. Yet, look at this place! It's filled with people and opening business here!"

"But... How do you know all about this...?"

The professor didn't answer straight away, his eyes looks as though he is thinking of something in the distant past, "A fenominone just like this happened more than once, ten years ago..."

"Ten years ago?"

The train stopped, and they went out of it, "Aside from what you've said, can't this be another trick? A mystery? We've solved a lot of difficult ones, this could be another evil scheme from one of your enemy's like Don Paolo!"

"...As much as I want to believe you, Luke. I cannot think that this place is fake."

"Professah..."

"Do you remember the owner of that department store, Luke?" The professor asked suddenly. Luke nodded his head, remembering how rudely the man talked to them, "The owner of Miroir at our place was a humble man from France. He was old and not quite profitable, it was no wonder why the store closed down. Yet look just now, it was the complete opposite of what I described."

"I didn't know that..." His apprentice stayed quiet, not wishing to press this matter any more. But changed to a sort of different topic, "Have you been here ten years ago, professah...? You said something like this happened at that time, so I wanted to know if..."

"No, I have never set foot on this place, but my counter part have stepped to ours..."

"Y-Your counterpart?"

"Just as this is the counterpart of London, we too ourselves have one. But with a different personality opposites to ours." The professor turned to a corner and kept walking, "My counterpart came to our world ten years ago by the same method we went, by the mirror with flashing lights."

"Then... Does that mean I have one too?"

"It is highly possible."

"W-Wow..." The feeling of how he met his 'future self' came back to him, only it will be the same age as him, "I'm going to meet a different version of me! I wonder what he will look like? Probably like me, but he_ is_ the opposite of me... So I guess he'll act very differently than me, but does that mean he hates animals and hates sweets? Preposterous! I will never dislike the two! Although..."

The professor chuckled, "We'll meet him soon, eventually."

"Right! ...What does yours look like, professah?"

"I can't really explain it, but you will know what he will like when we get there?"

"There?" It never occur to Luke that he haven't asked his mentor where the both are going, and it seems the professor knew his way around this place, "Where exactly? I'm not very sure where we're going, professah."

"We're finding my other version."

"Your other version? Oh, I thought... Wait a minute-!" Luke blindly bumped into a person, the person fell down down to the floor with a 'thud' sound. The impact had caused a real bump on his head, and coincidentally their heights are the same. "Ow... that really hurts..."

The stranger who bumped to Luke fell down to the floor.

"Oh! I'm sorry for bumping into you. Here, let me help you get up." It didn't crossed the apprentice's mind that who he bumped into. Luke gave a hand to him. The stranger, still on the floor, looked at the hand that was willing to get him up. He turned his attention to the professor who was standing behind Luke. The professor saw a glimpse of deep blue eyes that looked just like Luke.

"Master...?" Mumbled the small stranger.

"Master? What are you talking about? There's no master here." Luke answered.

The stranger stood up, now able to see the whole face, "What in the world...! You're..." The professor stepped back from the stranger, while Luke was awe struck by the stranger's appearance.

"Master...? What are you doing here...?" His face was unmistakeably Luke. The brown hair, the blue eyes, and even the height supported that it must be Luke. Although, he wasn't dressed in the same way as the apprentice himself. Instead of a blue cap and sweater, he wore a black hat with white roses and a black veil attached to it, and a black cloak with a white ribbon that covered up his white shirt and black pants. But one thing bears nothing like Luke.

His solemn expression.

He stood up and grabbed the professor's hand, and put on a weak smile, "Thank you for finding me, master..."

"M-Master?"

"Is that... me...?" Was all Luke managed to say.

He kept holding the professor's hand and wouldn't let go of it, "I-I'm sorry, but... what is your name...?"

The stranger eyes blinked in confusion, "It's me, master! Luke Triton!"

"You really are Luke's alternative then..."

Luke's shock was changed to anxiety in seeing his own version of this world, "My other me looks way different than me!"

"L-Luke, I don't think he knows all about this..."

The mention of the stranger had turned his attention to the one who addressed him as the 'other me', but turned away again as if he never seen him before, "Master, we should go back to the office... Master Dove has been nagging on the phone about arranging a meeting later..."

"Master Dove?"

"Hurry, Master Layton... I'm sure he's on his way..."

On his way? The professor thought, is it possible that he is able to lead them to him?

"...Remind me again who am I?"

The boy in black looked puzzled at the professor, but answered his question despite of it.

"The Prime Minister of England of course!"

* * *

A lone room was occupied by a single man, that man was sitting down at his chair with a phone on his hands, talking with another person on the phone.

"...Yes, I'm very sorry for not picking up your call just now... Hm? You want to arrange a 'meeting'? What for...? ...Oh, so he did appear, did he? ..._*Chuckle*_ It seems I do have to explain everything for what happened ...10:30? Alright, I'll see you then..."

He put back a phone.

"Never stop complaining, does he? But that's what I expect from a Dove anyway..."

He looked outside through the window.

"So he saw his self then, is it? Does that mean..."

Slowly, a smile formed from his lips. His hands touched the window that clearly showed his reflection.

"...I will have to greet my counterpart, Hershel Layton."

* * *

**Another story, yay! This one is a bit different from the other fanfics I've made, 'cause this one is a sci-fi fic. Anyway, this was inspired by Fairy Tail (you know, the whole Edolas thing) and Inuyasha (The time-traveling well, but this one is a mirror and it's not time-travelling) And of course Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (To tell you the truth I never played the unwound future yet T-T) Oh, and "Miroir" is French for "mirror."**

**Please review! Any suggestion is helpful!  
**

**I think I'm writing a lot of Evil!Layton lately...  
**


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